Conferrin' With The Flowers
by EriksAngeDeLaMusique
Summary: One-Shot. When Dorothy and Scarecrow meet they become fast friends. Is there potential for more? Scarecrow/Dorothy. My version of their meeting with lines directly from the scene.


**Conferrin' With the Flowers**

**This is my first Wizard of Oz fanfic. I was inspired while watching the musical for the first time last week. I have an idea for a long fanfic, but considering I'm already working on two fanfics, this is just to hold me over until I can work on it. I've never read the books, though I plan to. I hope you enjoy it! (Sorry for using the movie dialogue in the middle. I love it, so I tried to make it my own through Dorothy's thoughts and interpretations. I'm pretty sure you can tell where I switch to my own dialogue. I hope they don't suddenly sound OOC). I may or may not add more to this.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wizard of Oz, sadly. If I did, the movie wouldn't have cut the romance sub-plot between Scarecrow and Dorothy. **

Toto merrily trotted along beside me. I wondered if he understood what had happened. That we're definitely not in Kansas anymore.

"Follow the yellow brick road, follow the yellow brick road," I murmured, more or less only to fill the silence. I hummed the rest of the simple song those funny little people-munchkins-had sung.

The bright sun glittered off my shoes. Oh, how beautiful they were! I had never seen anything like them before. All my clothes were tattered hand-me-downs, dirty from the dry, Kansas farm. But, oh, how I missed it, now that I was stuck in this strange place.

I became very tired, walking for hours without food or water. I couldn't remember the last time I ate. The sun seemed to be at its highest point, baking everything beneath it. To make matters worse, up ahead I could see the road forking off into another direction.

"Oh dear," I muttered, looking around to see what path to take. But the surrounding grass had risen into a cornfield, with stalks higher than my head. "What are we going to do now, Toto?"

I crouched down and patted his furry little head. "Oh, Toto, we're so lost. Why did I run away from home? I'd give anything to be there now. Maybe I was forgotten once in a while, but at least I was safe…" I felt tears building. "And now I don't know where we are, and that horrid witch is after me! I just want to go home!"

Toto nuzzled his head against my arm. "You're right," I sniffed, wiping away a few stray tears. "Crying won't get us anywhere, will it?" I looked at the two paths as I stood up. "They look exactly alike. Which one should we take?"

"Pardon me, but that way is a very nice way."

I spun around, expecting to see a man, but all I saw was a scarecrow, his arm pointing at the path to the right.

"Who said that?" I asked, my eyes searching the fields. What if someone was there, watching us?

Toto barked excitedly at the scarecrow.

"Don't be silly, Toto," I said. "Scarecrows can't talk."

"It's pleasant down that way, too," said the male voice again.

I looked up, and noticed something peculiar. "That's funny. Wasn't he pointing the other way?" I said, in reference to the scarecrow, who was now pointing to the left path.

"Of course, people do go both ways."

I looked in time to see the scarecrow cross his arms, now pointing to both paths. With wide eyes, I walked towards him.

"Why, you did say something, didn't you?" I said, hearing the wonder in my tone. Why was I so surprised? After what I've seen so far, a talking scarecrow shouldn't faze me.

The scarecrow shook his head quickly, then, after a pause, nodded vigorously.

"Are you doing that on purpose?" I said. "Or can't you make up your mind?"

"That's the trouble. I can't make up my mind. I haven't got a brain. Only straw," he said, lifting his hat to show the straw spilling out of his loosely stitched seams.

"How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?" I asked. Even in this strange, magical land, I can't help but feel confused at this defiance of logic.

The scarecrow thought about it for a moment. "I don't know," he said, looking as puzzled as I felt. "But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking." He cocked his head to the side. "Don't they?"

"Yes," I said with a small smile, still feeling dazed. I was speaking with a scarecrow. A scarecrow without a brain. "I guess you're right." With that bit of humour, the strangeness of the situation faded away. _Remember your manners, Dorothy, _I could hear Aunt Em saying. "Well, we haven't really met properly, have we?"

"Why no," he said, looking delighted at making conversation. The poor guy must not have anyone to talk to out here.

"How do you do?" I said with a small curtsy, a smile coming to my face.

"How do you do," he repeated with a nod.

"Very well, thank you," I said, my smile turning into a grin.

"Oh, I'm not feeling at all well. You see, it's very tedious being stuck up here all day long with a pole up your back." He tried to adjust himself but he could barely move.

"Oh dear, that must be terribly uncomfortable. Can't you get down?" I said sadly. How horrible that must be!

"Down?" he asked in surprise. "No, you see, I'm…well, I'm…" He gestured to the pole.

"Oh, well, here. Let me help you," I said, walking over and reaching up, searching for a way to get him down.

"Oh, that's very kind of you," he said, sincerely. "Very kind."

"I don't see how I can…" I said trailing off, biting my lip. Think, Dorothy! There has to be a way.

"Of course, I'm not bright about doing things, but if you'll just bend down the nail in the back, maybe I'll slip off," he suggested.

"Oh yes," I said, reaching for the nail. Why hadn't I thought of that?

It took a bit of strength to get the rusty nail to bend, but when it did, Scarecrow gave a shout of surprise as he tumbled to the ground. He laughed as straw spilled out his seams, but I looked on in horror. "Whoops, there goes some of me again!" he said happily.

"Does it hurt you?" I asked worriedly, putting my hand on his arm to make sure he was okay.

"Oh no," he assured me. "I just keep picking it up and putting it back in again!" He laughed some more. It was a very joyful sound. "My it's good to be free," he said, jumping to his feet and falling over the fence.

I shrieked and rushed to his side.

"Did I scare you?" he asked, sounding both concerned and hopeful.

"Oh no," I said, crouching down beside him. "I just thought you hurt yourself."

"But I didn't scare you?"

"No, of course not," I said, feeling a bit baffled. Why did he want to scare me?

"I didn't think so," he said, sounding a bit dejected.

'Why what's the matter?" I asked.

"I can't even scare crows away," he said. "Maybe if I had a brain I could like I'm supposed to."

"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" I asked curiously.

His eyes lit up. "Do? Oh, so many things! I could hold a real conversation about anything I could think of! I could learn so many things! And maybe then I could scare the crows," he laughed.

"Well, we're having a real conversation right now," I pointed out. "And if the scarecrows back in Kansas were anything like you, why, the crows would be scared to pieces."

"They would?" he asked, the delight evident in his voice. "Where's Kansas?"

"It's where I live. And I want to get back there so badly I'm going all the way to Emerald City to get the Wizard of Oz to help me." _Whoever he is…_

"You're going to see a wizard?"

"Yes," I said with a nod.

He thought about this. "Do you think if I went with you this wizard would give me some brains?"

Could he? Well, he must be called the Wizard for a reason. "I couldn't say. But even if he didn't, you'd be no worse off than you are now."

"Yes, that's true," he said, sounding less enthusiastic.

I felt guilty, but I didn't want him to be let down. Of course, there was another reason he might not want to come with me. "But maybe you better not. I've got a witch mad at me and you might get into trouble."

"Witch?" he scoffed. "I'm not afraid of a witch. I'm not afraid of anything!" He looked around, and I wondered if he was checking to see if anyone had heard him. "Except a lighted match," he confided, shaking some of the straw that was falling out his seams.

"I don't blame you for that," I said. Who wouldn't be afraid of fire if they were made of straw?

"But I'd face a whole box full of them for the chance of getting some brains," he said bravely. "Look, I won't be any trouble because I don't need to think. And I won't try to manage things because I can't think. Won't you take me with you?" he pleaded, taking my hands in his.

He looked so forlorn and desperate. I wanted to help him. He wouldn't be any trouble. "Why, of course I will."

"Hooray!" he said, jumping to his feet and dancing around. "We're off to see the wizard!"

I laughed as Toto jumped around with Scarecrow, and then chased after some pieces of straw that fell out of his sleeve. I rushed after Toto and sheepishly gave them back to Scarecrow, who just thanked me with a smile. He put the straw back and patted Toto on the head.

"Sneaky little guy," he said.

"Sorry about that," I said, still feeling a bit embarrassed. "First town we come across we will have to see if they have any thread to patch you up."

Scarecrow waved his hand. "No, I'm used to it. Sometimes birds will come along and take it for their nests."

"Well that's not very nice," I said, frowning, thinking about the selfish birds.

"I don't mind. I was stuck up on that post doing nothing," he said, then turned to me with a smile. "Until _you_ showed up!" He took me by the hands and spun me around. "Oh, thank you for getting me off the pole, and thank you for taking me with you! You won't regret it-" He stopped swinging me and I tried to regain my balance. "Wait, I don't know your name."

"You don't, do you," I said, surprised we completely skipped over the most common introduction. "I'm Dorothy," I said, sticking out my hand. "What's your name?"

He shook my hand. "Wonderful to meet you, Dorothy. I don't know my name. I don't think I have one."

"You don't have a name?" I asked in surprise.

He shook his head. "I don't remember getting one."

"We'll just have to give you one, then," I suggested.

"Wonderful!" he said. He was so overjoyed by the simplest things, it was very humbling. "Let's not make it too difficult, though. I don't have a brain to remember hard things."

"Right," I agreed. "How about…Tom? Carl? Peter?" To every name he shook his head. "They're just not right, are they," I said.

"How about Scarecrow?" he asked.

"Scarecrow?" I said. "Well that's what I've been calling you in my head."

He smiled. "Then it's perfect! Neither of us has to try to remember it!"

I laughed. "Scarecrow it is. Well, come on, Scarecrow. We've got to get going before the witch finds us."

He glances around the field and sky, looking apprehensive. "Alright, let's go."

We started walking and the skies stayed clear, so we both relaxed a bit. The witch wasn't after me at this moment at least. Toto jogged on ahead of us, his tongue lolling out as he panted. Poor thing, it was hot outside and he had a thick coat. Hopefully we'll come across some water soon.

"So, tell me, Dorothy," said Scarecrow. "How did someone like you manage to anger the wicked witch?"

I explained to him the whole story, of the tornado, arriving in Oz, meeting Glinda and the munchkins, realizing I killed somebody, and having a witch declare her hate of me. It was quite a stressful story. At the end, Scarecrow was looking angry.

"But none of that was your fault!" he declared.

"It wasn't," I agreed. "But it seems like she doesn't care."

"Hopefully the wizard can get you home, soon," he said.

I nodded my head in agreement. Walking along with a companion, or at least a companion who can talk, made walking quite less lonely, and made home seem less far away.

"What's Kansas like?" asked Scarecrow.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm not going back for the scenery, that's for sure!" But still I described the dry plains, the hot sun. Even listening to myself I wanted to fall asleep, but Scarecrow looked enraptured.

"And what's your home like?"

"My home?" I asked, my cheeks going red.

"I'm sorry if that's personal," said Scarecrow, looking sorry to have offended me.

"No, not at all," I said. For some strange reason, I liked when he asked me questions. At home, no one ever talks to me, and Scarecrow, unlike everyone at the farm, doesn't talk about boring things, or tell me doesn't have time. He seems as imaginative as I am! He's not stressed over the little things, either. He's interested in what I have to say, and my opinions, and he just gets so happy over the littlest things, it brings a smile to my face.

"It's just that…my home isn't much," I said. Really, the farm is tiny and dirty and doesn't make much money. But Scarecrow just shook his head with a small smile.

"Dorothy, I lived up on a pole in the middle of a cornfield," he said. "It doesn't matter to me if you live in a mansion or not."

I laughed, feeling a bit silly. "I guess you wouldn't mind, would you?"

He shook his head, his eyes sparkling.

"Well, the farm is…its home, I guess. We have plenty of chickens and some cattle. I live with my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry, and the boys that work at the farm are always there. And there's Toto, of course!"

"What made you want to leave Kansas?" he asked.

I fiddled with the end of my pigtail. "I guess I left because no one ever talked to me. They never acted like they cared, though I was well-fed, and were always too busy. I couldn't talk with them about anything," I sighed. "But you! See, you listen and talk with me! I can tell we're going to be great friends!"

Scarecrow thought about this. "I've never had a friend."

"I haven't really either," I admitted. "Except Toto. But he can't talk."

"Well, Miss Dorothy, I'd love to be your friend."

I laughed at our childish conversation. "Good. But there's one condition."

"What is that now?" he said, one corner of his mouth raised in a lopsided smile.

"You have to be friends with Toto, too," I said adamantly.

"Of course," he said with a chuckle. "I fear if I'm not his friend, the little rascal might take all my straw. Then you'd have to carry me all the way to the Emerald City."

I burst out laughing like I haven't laughed in a very long time. Wait, how long has it been that I laughed before I got here? It must be ages. "Well, we can't have that happening."

Scarecrow and I talked all the way along the path until nightfall. I only noticed it was dark when Toto came running back to us, practically trotting beneath our feet.

Scarecrow looked up at the dark sky. "We better be finding somewhere to rest. How about over there?" he pointed towards a group of trees.

"Looks better than walking," I agreed. Having nothing with us, we didn't have much of a camp to set up. We gathered long grasses to sleep on, and I hoped it didn't get too cold. It was already pretty chilly.

"That will have to do," I said, rubbing my arms.

"You look cold, Dorothy," observed Scarecrow. He started to turn away. "If you want to start a fire, I can just go-"

"No," I said, putting my hand on his arm. "I won't make you leave. Besides, I don't even know how to start a fire. It's not that cold."

He eyed me warily. "Alright, if you say so."

"I'm sure," I said. "Let's just go to sleep, and early tomorrow morning we can find something to eat."

"Okay," said Scarecrow, and we both lied down on our makeshift beds. Toto curled up by my side, giving me extra warmth that I was glad for.

Scarecrow's breathing slowed, and I thought he was asleep until he said, "Thank you for taking me along with you, Dorothy."

"You're welcome," I said surprised. "It's not a big deal. You're great company."

He chuckled. "I suppose."

It was silent for a few more minutes. My hand rested outstretched along the soft grass. A few stars twinkled in the skies above, and I could hear sounds of crickets. It almost sounded like home. If I closed my eyes, maybe I could pretend…

"Dorothy?" said Scarecrow.

"Yes?" I said, trying not to sound annoyed at having my imaginings interrupted.

"Even if the witch had a hundred lighted matches, I'd protect you."

My heart thudded and I smiled. I looked over to see his bright blue eyes, watching me from where he was lying down a few feet away. "Thank you, Scarecrow. I'd do the same for you."

He took my outstretched hand and planted a soft kiss on the back of it, and we both fell asleep.


End file.
